US warns Macedonia not to muzzle media in 'coup' scandal

SKOPJE, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The United States cautioned
Macedonia on Friday against silencing the media in a growing
scandal over coup charges against the government's chief
opponent.

Opposition leader Zoran Zaev was charged last week with
conspiring with a foreign intelligence service to topple the
government. He had threatened for months to publish evidence of
what he says is criminal wrongdoing by the conservative
government of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

Zaev's Social Democrats say the charges will not stop them
going public. But the state prosecutor told journalists this
week that they faced punishment for publishing material "that
may become the subject of further criminal proceedings".

The U.S. embassy in Macedonia issued a statement expressing
"concern" at the warning and stressing the media's role in
presenting information that is in the public interest.

"We are concerned that the media in Macedonia may interpret
the statement of the Public Prosecutor's Office to mean that it
should not be playing this important role," it said, urging
authorities to make clear the "narrow circumstances" where
information may be treated as an official secret.

The European Union, which the former Yugoslav republic wants
to join along with NATO, has also urged a fair judicial process.

Media watchdogs are already concerned over what they say is
the shrinking of press freedom under Gruevski, who has been in
power since 2006. Zaev's potential imprisonment would further
deepen political divisions and may heighten concern in the West
over a perceived authoritarian streak in Gruevski's rule.

The prime minister took to television last week to accuse
Zaev of trying to blackmail him to call a snap election during
face-to-face talks in September and November, saying Zaev
claimed he had gathered intelligence against the government with
the help of a foreign spy service.

Zaev was charged, but denies any wrongdoing, saying
authorities were trying in vain to prevent the publication of
what has become known in Macedonian media as "the bomb".
(Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Catherine Evans)